2.) Yen Sid and the Magic Tower

Dez had awakened, her eyes popped open and what she assumed was death. But instead she was greeted by her friends who surrounded her, looking down over her frail figure as if to make sure she wouldn't break. "Ah! Guys...where?!" She started before Griffin and Lucas helped her to her dreary feet.

She stumbled a bit before taking glance at her surroundings, she seemed to be in a study of sorts. A orange room filled with books with a large mahogany desks sitting in the dead center of the room, sitting behind the desk was a tall, long man with a gray beard and a tall blue wizard's hat, his eyes were big and glared with an unflinching presence.

He made Dez feel smaller than she already was.

"Good morning young lady, I am glad to see that you are still of this world." He nodded slowly.

"Who exactly..." Dez started.

"He's Master Yen Sid." A more familiar voice spoke from behind the group.

Standing at the big green door's entrance was Master Eraqus, all healed and standing normally. Everyone seemed surprised and relieved to see the master still alive. He walked up beside Master Yen Sid's desk. "This man, though he is master no more...still holds nigh over the forces of Light and Darkness." Eraqus introduced the man.

"Master Yen Sid. So this is Master Yen Sid." Griffin rubbed his chin.

"I kind pictured him to be cooler looking." Lucas said before Dez nudged him angrily.

"He doesn't have boobs, so I don't care." Kizer shrugged with a bored sigh.

"Excuse my Desciples sir. They mean you no ill will." Eraqus apologized for

"Their lack of mannerisms only reflect on the Master." Yen Sid eyed Eraqus who leaned his head back.

Eraqus cleared his throat and glared at the company of young keyblade wielders. "STAND AT ATTENTION! RIGHT NOW YOU LAZY DOGS!" He pointed at them and with that everyone stood up straight like soldier swith their hands at their sides. "Now lend the master your ears, for we've not the time for idle banter. The balance has been distrubed and the Worlds are now in danger."

"As I'm sure you know now, your world. The Land of Departure is no more, torn asunder by creatures of the night." With that Yen Sid raised his right palm creating a hologram of magic showing a Shadow heartless.

"Those things." Lucas pointed.

Dez gasped. "We fought those, back in the Land of Departure before..."

"Stupid blokes raided my room!" Rally said angrily.

"These creatures are called Heartless, they are monsters born from the darkness in peole's hearts. They exist through pure malice and instinct striking down and devouring any and all possessers of hearts. Though their boon is to absorb hearts, what they crave the most is the heart of worlds." Yen Sid explained, with that the hologram showed an orbital picture of a planet being absorbed by darkness and falling to pieces. "Once the heart of a world is taken, the world ceases to be much like your world...the Land of Departure."

"Is there anyway we can recover a world?" Kizer asked placing his palms in his coat pockets.

"No solutions have yet been found to the recovery of worlds." Yen Sid shook his head,

Rally punched into her palm. "Well that's right fucking debt we're going to pay back to those Heartless bastards!"

"The Keyblade is the only tool able to vanquish the Heartless for good and it is for this reason, that Keyblade Masters are forged. To safe guard worlds from this catastrophic threat." Yen Sid added.

"But do to the Keyblade war, there are barely any Keyblade masters left. Which is why even a small few are very rare." Eraqus explained as well.

"Hmm..If you don't mind me asking, what of Kel and Lecter? Were they not summoned here as well, Master Yen Sid? Eraqus?" Griffin asked raising an eyebrow.

Dez looked down at the floor, he memories flashing in her head like a picture show of Kel and Lecter fighting. 'Our world was coming to an end and yet they decided to fight one another...what's going on?'

Yen Sid sighed and stayed silent for a moment before answering. "I'm afraid it was Lecter's doing, he is the one who called the Heartless to the Land of Departure."

"WHAT?!" Everyone said at one time.

"The Heartless have a great fear of the Keyblade, to that end they use it as a beacon to hone in on Keyblade Wielders and attack them relentlessly. A barrier of old was created by one of the very first Keyblade Masters around the Land of Departure. To combat this...Lecter, using the very same relic Keyblade. Unlocked this barrier...pouring the Heartless into our world." Eraqus explained.

Dez's eyes were wide, she looked down at the ground again. Her memories then played of Lecter, the boy with the crimson eyes and shoulderlength black hair. Memories of them playing together from a very young age, memories of she and Lecter sitting together on odd nights laughing, talking.

"And what about Kel?" Lucas asked. "Was he in on this shit too!?"

"No. Kel sought to stop Lecter but was defeated by his and his new powers granted from the Relic Keyblade, No Name and the aid of the Heartless. Moments before Lecter escaped, Kel rushed into the darkness in pursuit. I am not sure if he still breaths." Yen Sid explained.

Tears of crystal dropped off the bottom of Dez's chin. "No...this must be some kind of mistake. That's it, there is no way Lecter...Lecter would do that? He would never try to kill us...we were...we're his friends."

"Master Yen Sid's words ring true, Dez. The injuries I sustained were by Lecter's hand. If it were not for Kel's intervene I would be for the afterlife." Master Eraqus stepped forth.

"YOU'RE LYING! BOTH OF YOU! YOU'RE LYING!" Dez screamed before running out of the door.

Everyone looked down in the room, there was an overwhelming feeling of sorrow.

(line)

Dez rushed out of the Magical Tower, just before reaching the final step she tripped and landed face first on the grass in front of the building. She didn't bother to get up, she just lied there crying on her face. After afew minutes she got up and decided to sit at the edge of the tiny world looking off into the abyss of space.

She curled up into a ball, hugging her knees.

Rally walked up behind her and sat down beside her. "Hey girl." Rally said as she plopped down beside her.

"...hey..." Dez said in a sorrowful tone.

Rally sighed and looked up at the stars with her. "This place sure is weird. If all these...other worlds are gonna look like this, I don't think we were really missing anything...heh heh."

"...Hmm..." Dez mumbled.

Rally sort of swallowed then cocked her head alittle to Dez. "Y'know Dez..."

"Don't Rally...I don't wanna hear it. I don't believe Lecter would do those things. He would never betray us like that..." She said angrily narrowing her eyes.

Rally sighed with a half smile and hugged Dez which only made Dez cry more. "You really like Lecter don't you? You care about him...a little bit more than you care for us. So this would probably hurt you more...so I'm not saying Lecter betrayed us. All I'm saying...is that we should find him. Get the real story."

Dez sniffled. "Hmm?"

"Let's do it together. Let's go and find Lecter, make em talk. If it's true then I'll kick his ass, if it's not...then you get your happy 'Prince Charming was framed' ending." Rally winked while wagging her finger. "How's that sound?"

"Thank you, Rally." Dez rubbed the tears from her eyes.

"Don't forget about us."

Dez and Rally turned around seeing Lucas, Kizer and Griffin standing behind them. Kizer had his hands in his lab coat pockets, Griffin rubbed his thumb across his nose with a grin and Lucas gave the girls a thumbs up with a slow nod. "Don't forget about Kel too. He's out there somewhere." Kizer added.

"He'll be okay, he's Kel. That guy defeated all three of us by himself in sparing." Griffin pointed at Kizer.

"Don't remind me, in this journey I'm gonna catch up to Kel and Lecter and then the three of us will take our Mark of Mastery exam." Lucas said punching into his palm. "That or my name ain't Thundercock!"

"It's not." Kizer and Griffin said at the same time.

Once the five friends had gathered their resolve the team moved back into the Magic Tower where they once again stood before Yen Sid with new resolve. The old wizard could feel it as well as Eraqus. "Are you sure you're ready to face the darkness, the untold truths you may find in there could change you forever." Yen Sid tried to reason with them.

Dez looked back at her friends whom all smiled and nodded at her. "We're sure."

"Very well, your mission is to seek out Lecter and find out the truth behind his actions in the Land of Departure as well as free any world you come across from the grip of the Heartless by sealing the keyhole to each world." Yen Sid explained.

"Should you find any evidence pointing to Kel's location or if he still yet lives. You are to report to me at once." Eraqus added.

"Yes." They all responded with a salute.

"Then off with you. Outside there is a gummi ship for your usage. Take it...just north of here is a world known as Traverse Town. You can begin your journey there."